my erster (racetrack higgins x oc)

family?

"Uh cowboy? Who's dis? Yous know girls aren't allowed in da lodging house."
"She's uh she's my sista.  She needs my help."
The boy told Luke, putting his arm around her shoulders protectively, while giving Luke a look the told him that she was in trouble. Luke nodded understandingly, they had boys come in all the time that needed help but this girl, she needed immediate help even if they didn't know what it was written all over her face.
"Fine but she'll have to sell papes just like the rest of us."
Luke reasoned.
"Don't ya worry she will Ise just have ta take care a her for a few days till she starts sellin."
The boy assured him.
"Fine, cowboy."

Luke left and the boy took Emma upstairs and led her to an empty room with just a bed and a chest.  She sat down on the bed and he sat down next to her.

"My names Jack, Jack Kelly but everyone calls me Cowboy. What do they call you?"
Jack asked turning his attention to her.
"E-Emma, Emma Darling."
She took his hand and shook it.
"Okay well what should we call you?"
Jack wondered more to himself than anyone else.
"Call me?"
Emma wondered to him.
"Yeah, call ya. Wes all get nicknames, you'll understand when ya meet everybody."
Jack explained to her.
"What about Tiger?"
He said pointing down at her socks that had tiger print on them.
"Tiger?"
Emma questioned him lifting an eyebrow questioningly.
"Yeah do you like it?"
He asked her
"Y-yes thank ya, for bringing me in."
She said smiling down at the socks that gave her the very name that she would be known for.
"Of course yous family now."
Jack said tossing an arm over her shoulders.
"F-family?"
Emma asked fear laced her face, family to her was terrifying, it meant that they can hurt you and it didn't matter. Jack was quick to notice the change in her face.
"Family's good it means, you always have someone to be there, someone to count on. And now yous my sista."
Jack told her. The smile creeped right back up to her face.
"Yeah you're a newsie now or I guess a girlsie."
He added laughing as she laughed along with him. 

"Aye cowboy! Luke said you brought a new newsie-"
A boys voice came from the door but cut off when he saw Emma.
"Oh Tiger this is Racetrack, we call him that cause he always goes to the Races with Luke.  Oh and that's Andy behind him."
Jack told her.
"Hey! I'm Race and this is Andy and that's Albert. And you are pretty."
Racetrack attempted to flirt. Emma or Tiger now looked over to Jack uncomfortably.
"Knock it off Racer!"
Jack order him as Racetrack smirked playfully at the girl causing her to crack a smile.
(Btw Andrew is Crutchie but Crutchie doesn't have his crutches yet so he doesn't have his nickname yet)

That day marked Tiger for the rest of her life because ever since that day Tiger embraced being herself which you could say was a newsie.  She learned to grow and defend herself and accusingly with Jack's help when it came to the Delancey Brothers. Through the years Jack became more of an older brother to Tiger. When Tiger turned 9 years old and Jack turned 11, one of the worst things that Tiger could have imagined happened, Jack was taken to the Refuge. Tiger couldn't sleep for days worrying about Jack. It severely worried Racetrack and Albert, who quickly became her best friends.

It was late one night probably around 1 or 2 am, and Tiger was still awake pacing around her room and everyone was asleep, well everyone except Racetrack and Albert. They quietly snuck out of the boys sleeping hall, the only reason Tiger had her own room was because she was a girl.

"Tiger?"
Albert whispered creaking open her bedroom door.
"Hm?"
She replied acknowledging his presence.
"Tiger you have to sleep. He'll make it out."
Racetrack told her walking over to her, sitting her down on her bed as him and Albert sat next to her.
"But what if he doesn't Race?"
She asked turning her attention to him. He could see the tears that brimmed her eyes.
"But he will."
Albert soothed, trying to calm her by rubbing her back softly.
"But-"
She started.
"But nothing. He's Jack Kelly he'll make it out one way or another."
Racetrack told her sticking a cigar in his mouth.
"What are you doing?
She asked him cracking a smile.
"Ise been thinkin that this makes me look cool don't yous think?"
He asked while giving his best model face. Causing Tiger to laugh at him.
"No you look stupid. Racer! it's not even lit."
She told him laughing at the offended look on his face.
"I don't like the smell of smoke but I like the cigar."
He told her with a 'duh' expression on his face. She laughed at his antics and he laughed with her.
Albert rolled his eyes taking the cigar from Racetrack.
"Hey! Don't take my cigar!"
Racetrack said in a hushed voice, taking his cigar back in his hands and putting it back into him mouth.
"What? like this?"
Tiger laughed sinisterly taking the cigar from him again.

Only 3 months later Jack came back after escaping the refuge, as he said, 'on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage'. And he was welcomed back by all the Newsies surrounding him to hear his story. When Tiger saw him she about knocked him over hugging him.

"Oh my god."
Racetrack mumbled, his cigar hanging out of his mouth while walking back with Tiger after selling together.
"What?"
Tiger asked scanning his face for an answer.
"It's Jack."
Racetrack mumbled back to her, his smile creeping up on his face.  He looked to his side to see that Tiger was no longer there, instead she was already tackling Jack.

By the time Jack was 13 years old and Tiger was 11, Luke left the Newsies and got a job for         The World printing the newspapers rather than selling them. When Luke left he put Jack in charge of the Newsies.

And now that you're all caught up, that leads us to where we are today. The date July 16th 1899. Jack Kelly, the leader of the Newsies was now 17 years old and Tiger was now 15 years old.
2 days before the Newsie Strike.

word count: 1899
(this actually worked out so well lol)